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A Brownstown man has pleaded guilty to stealing from one tax entity and is continuing to work on settling the case involving theft from another entity.
Rodney L. Deal, 55, pleaded guilty last Wednesday to a count of theft that alleged that he took copper valued at more than $300 from the Brownstown School District in June of last year.
The plea agreement for the Class 3 felony includes a sentence of 120 days in the county jail, with work release privileges and no day-for-day good time credit.
Deal was also placed on probation for 30 months.

As they continue their fight to keep the local Illinois Department of Human Services office open, Vandalia officials are encouraging local residents to be a part of that effort.
Mayor Rick Gottman said at last week’s city council meeting that he has contacted all area legislators, as well as Gov. Pat Quinn’s office and the state’s Central Management Services, as part of his effort to prevent the planned closure of the DHS office on Dec. 27.
The state’s plan is to have area residents use the DHS office in Centralia.

The Fayette County Board approved on Tuesday a health insurance package through which the county will continue to pay the premiums for its employees.
But the chairman of the committee recommending acceptance of the plan warned that it’s likely the last time for such a benefit at that level.
The board agreed to renew its coverage through Blue Cross/Blue Shield, with the county’s cost for that coverage increasing by 7.5 percent over last year.

✔ TOPS IL 2490 will meet from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Ramsey. Weigh-in is from 9-9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Dovie Heaton-Bergin at 283-1729.
✔ TOPS IL 1872, Ramsey, will meet at the Christian Church in Ramsey. Weigh-in is at 6:20 p.m., and the meeting is at 7 p.m.
✔ The Vandalia Junior High School winter band concert will be held at 7 p.m. at the school.
Saturday, December 10

Santa Claus arrived in town on Saturday to participate in the Vandalia Rotary Club's Christmas Parade.

In the first photo, Laura Carter makes sure that 3-year-old Addison Keeling sees Santa coming down Gallatin Street. In the second photo, Kaitlynn Warner, age 2, visits with Jolly Old St. Nick in the gazebo in Lincoln Park after the parade.

Barring any write-in candidates, Fayette County’s primary election will feature only one race.
That race will be in Fayette County Board District 6, where incumbent Glenn L. Gurtner of rural Brownstown is being challenged by Bryce Kistler of rural Vandalia.
The filing period for the primary election, which will be held on March 20, ended on Monday afternoon in the office of Fayette County Clerk and Recorder Terri D. Braun, the county’s election official.
Those filing for the primary election include:
Circuit Clerk